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Kamis, 20 Juni 2013

Worst day on This Red Dot

The Psi (pollutant standards index) hit 321 at 10pm today, the highest level in history.

Thank you for sending the haze from forest burning, my country!

Why can't anyone do something about it?

We all are suffering here.

The images below were taken earlier today at around 6 pm when i was on my journey to my class at Shaw Tower, Bugis. Later on in the evening, I had to dismissed the class early when I learned that the psi had reached 290! God...have mercy on us.

If you read the table above you would know that psi 300 and above is considered hazardous for people.

Do stay indoor if possible. Cancel your meeting with friends, cancel your romantic dinner especially if it is in an outdoor restaurant, abandon plan to spend the day in a park or on the beach or having picnic or barbeque outdoor. This is specially so if you have history of respiratory problem (like me) and heart disease. Kids and old people are more prone to this bad weather. I am now thinking of asking my mom to lengthen her stay in Jakarta till after the haze in Singapore is cleared. Wear mask if you need to go outside.

Facial or surgical masks are selling like hotcakes and it now has become difficult to find them in pharmacies! We experienced this before when Singapore was hit by SARS in 2004. Fortunately for me, I recently bought a box (50 pieces) of 3-ply surgical masks. Originally it was for my use whenever I am down with flu. But now...it is for this situation.

Now...if you have never experienced this situation before, let me tell you this, it is bad, and bad is an understatement. The air smells of burnt wood, you get choking and nausea sensation because of that. The ash dust dirty your clothes, your hair and your home if you let the door or windows open. The ash dust also stings your eyes and makes them watery. You may need to apply eyedrops several times a day to keep them moist. You feel exhausted easily because you are breathing bad air.

I am starting to feel unwell. The eyes got affected first, and the nose is next. The burnt smell is terrible! And now I start coughing, oh please God dont let my asthma flares up. I suspect doctor's clinics in Singapore are flooded with patients these days!